How to Encourage Your Children to Volunteer

Volunteering has been shown to have a significant impact on both mental and physical health. The act contributes to overall wellbeing and even longevity. What is true for adults is also true for children, perhaps even more so. Volunteering can help instill a sense of civic engagement in children and gives them a sense of empowerment […]

Volunteering has been shown to have a significant impact on both mental and physical health. The act contributes to overall wellbeing and even longevity. What is true for adults is also true for children, perhaps even more so. Volunteering can help instill a sense of civic engagement in children and gives them a sense of empowerment to change the world for the better. Perhaps more than anything, however, volunteering can help instill a sense of gratitude in children the same way it can in adults. Getting children to volunteer, however, can be somewhat of a challenge. Here are three ways to help encourage your children to volunteer.

Find Something They’re Passionate About

You may be highly passionate about helping the homeless or visiting the elderly, but that does not mean your children will be. In fact, they may even be somewhat put off by the very type of volunteering you are most passionate about. While you can certainly encourage your children to broaden their horizons, you might have an uphill battle on your hands. Instead, try finding them a volunteer opportunity in an area they are already naturally inclined towards. You might find them getting excited about the opportunity rather than fighting you.

Find Opportunities That Are a Good Fit

While you may be a social butterfly that loves working with a wide range of people, your bookworm child may prefer solitary endeavors or opportunities with a single friend. You may also be surprised at what kind of opportunities they take to and which ones they do not. Sometimes, the volunteer opportunity they connect with isn’t as much about what they are doing as how they are doing it.

Try Several Different Things

Some children may prefer one-time options such as collecting books for a library or clothing for the homeless. Other children may prefer opportunities that allow them to build deep connections. Some children will be very independent and may blossom by volunteering on their own, while others will only enjoy it if it is something they get to do with you or with the family. If you want to encourage your children to make volunteering a lifelong practice, you might want to invest the time in finding something they truly find value in doing.

Ralph Byer, based in Plantation Florida, is passionate about building positive relationships. This can be in his family or through his volunteer work. He seeks to actively participate in his community and encourage civic engagement.

He believes that we ought to give back to our communities and help those less fortunate than ourselves, both financially and through our actions. Through volunteering, Ralph has also made lifelong friends who also believe in sponsoring change through charitable work. He believes that volunteering is a way of thinking and living that is an emotional elixir for the heart and soul.

Ralph Byer is involved with several different charitable foundations. One of these is the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, named for Darrell Gwynn, a champion racer who injured his spinal cord. Darrel started the foundation to support those with paralysis and to educate others about spinal cord injuries. Ralph deeply admires Darrell’s resilience and his mission to change the lives of others.

Ralph is also passionate about the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County, a group mainly run by volunteers. The group seeks to provide for the families of fallen officers and prevents crime through their education programs.

Ralph Byer is also a dedicated supporter of the Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options (JAFCO). Not only does he support them financially, but he also fostered two young boys. The group cares for neglected children and those with disabilities. They believe it is the job of the community to help its children.

Ralph is a dedicated family man. He loves his family and seeks to provide them the best possible opportunities. He enjoys spending time with his family and watching his children grow. He is a strong advocate for adoption and fostering. He believes that every child belongs in a family and strives to put this belief into action.

The Thrive Global Community welcomes voices from many spheres. We publish pieces written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Learn more or join us as a community member!

Share your comments below. Please read our commenting guidelines before posting. If you have a concern about a comment, report it here.

Dwayne Harmon Emphasizes The Joy of Partaking in Charitable Organizations

“People look for retreats for themselves, in the country, by the coast, or in the hills . . . There is nowhere that a person can find a more peaceful and trouble-free retreat than in his own mind. . . . So constantly give yourself this retreat, and renew yourself.”